Abyss
by Tessryne
Summary: Gajeel and Levy both come to the realization that it is time to move past their dark history, but before they can begin to move forward together Levy embarks on what she thought would be a quick job with Team Shadow Gear, but things go awry and Levy ends up in danger. Gajeel puts aside his initial hesitation to go after her, and races to rescue the one light in his dark world.
1. Chapter 1

***** This is my first ever FanFiction posting so I am looking forward to feedback. Please be gentle!*

-Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, or any of its characters

 **Abyss: Chapter 1**

Darkness. It swallows your soul and suffocates your life. It causes you to lose your way, meandering in a meaningless existence. But, on the rare occasion, you might stumble across a light in the abyss. And, like a parched man crawls towards a small droplet of salvation, I find myself reaching toward the radiance of this light, yearning to bask in its warmth. It doesn't have a face, but once I reach its golden beams, the aura surrounds me and it feels familiar. It feels like...

"Levy..."

Gajeel's crimson hues snap open as he starts himself awake, his heart thundering in his chest. That dream again. Grunting, a studded forearm rises to lie across his eyes as he closes them again, releasing a long low sigh. The sound of birds singing outside his ramshackle cabin heralded the arrival of morning. He inhaled deeply, taking in the scents of damp wood and earth and iron. With another grunt, he sat up in his bed, stretching subtly before turning and lowering his feet to the wood floor.

"Guess I should find a job today," he mused to himself looking down at his hands in his lap. But that means going to the guild hall, which was always exhausting considering how rambunctious the guild members almost always were; drinking, boisterous, fighting, obnoxious Fairies. Although, with risks to his sanity came the occasional reward in the form of a certain blue haired Script Mage, even if it was just seeing her from across the guild hall.

With his mind set and after a quick bite of scrap metal, the Iron Dragon Slayer sauntered from his quaint cabin set on the outskirts of Magnolia and leisurely made his way towards Fairy Tail.

Once into town his rather neutral mood started to turn sour as more and more whispers were hushed around him by cautious townsfolk he passed by. They seemed a little over dramatic to him, as they scurried out of his way.

"Black Steel Gajeel," he heard one say. Then, "How can he be trusted? He's such a monster."

"Tch." His eyes narrowed and his lips curled down in a snarl. _Ignorant idiots_ , he thought to himself as he pretended to be oblivious to their hushed remarks. Just then something small pelted him on the back of his shoulder and a round of gasps was then followed by piercing silence. Gajeel's red eyes widened as he jerked his head to the side, glaring back over his shoulder to see who the hell would dare throw something at him. A group of adults scrambled inside nearby shops or around some convenient corners, leaving just one solo soul to stand up to the Dragon Slayer's wrath. Gajeel's eyes lowered to rest upon a small boy, not much older than 8 years he guessed, standing in defiance. _Kid has some balls_ , he growled to himself as he turned slowly to face his attacker. He could tell the boy was scared, probably regretting the rash decision to do what he did. Gajeel took a few slow, intimidating steps towards the youngster, seeing the boys lips set in a hard determined line as his head tilted back to keep eye contact as the man towered over him. Behind the brave facade, Gajeel could see that the boy was trembling. Then he noticed something that made his breath catch in his chest and momentarily the snarl on his face disappeared. The boy had light blue hair… _just like hers_.

Gajeel stood there regarding the boy for what felt like an eternity as he wrestled with his emotions. Why did the smallest thing that reminded him of her affect him so strongly? Images of her pinned to the center tree in Magnolia Park flashed in his mind, her head lulled forward in defeat. He remembered cackling maniacally at her then. Now the image made him shudder inside subconsciously. The internal fight was lost and Gajeel visibly relaxed, his shoulders falling ever so slightly. The boy took note of this and relaxed a bit himself, a blue eyebrow arching suspiciously. Suddenly, Gajeel raised his hand toward the boy, palm side up, and resting in the middle of his large hand was a small sculpted iron dragon.

The boy flinched as soon as the man's arm rose towards him, but after a few seconds, he opened his eyes to see the Black Steel Gajeel holding out his offering, a fanged smirk stretched across the infamous mans face. Shocked, the boy stood there until Gajeel placed the cold metal sculpture in the boys hand then moved to continue on his way. As he passed him, he placed his hand on the boys head to ruffle his hair as he went.

"Don't ever lose that spunk, brat." Gajeel muttered over his shoulder as he walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Abyss: Chapter 2**

Levy sighed as she stood and stretched from her desk, a small moan escaping her lips as her eyes drifted back down to the old tome she'd been studying all morning. Her brows furrowed slightly as she mulled over the subject she'd been reading about, not any closer to the answers she had been hoping to find in its old musty pages. She bit her bottom lip thoughtfully as she turned towards her bedroom window. Just then her stomach growled in a ferocious manner and she sighed heavily, shoulders dropping as she walked away from her desk. She'd skipped breakfast that morning in her race to tackle that tome and had been glued to it while the morning waned into early afternoon. Guess it was time to eat.

Levy sat outside the bakery in Magnolia, chewing blissfully on the warm apple fritter she decided that she could not live without when she saw it as she passed by the shop window. The townsfolk were bustling about and the air within the city was cheery. She smiled to herself as she watched the people go about their business. The breeze whipped up around her and she closed her eyes, lifting her chin towards the warm sun beams that shined down on her, warming her skin. She released her breath in a contented sigh. It was good to get away from her books every now and again, she thought a bit guiltily. She hadn't really let herself relax over the last few weeks since finding that Master Makarov had allowed Gajeel to join the guild. She knew the Masters heart was in the right place, and in knowing and trusting him, she trusted his decision. He saw something in Gajeel that the rest of them had not. Levy subconsciously started to curl in, her arms and legs tucking close to her body and her brows puckered in a frown as her thoughts continued on the Iron Dragon Slayer. She forced herself not to dwell on the day that he had attacked her, although that was where her mind instinctively went whenever she saw him. At least, her mind did until _that_ day.

Gajeel watched her from the shadows where he leaned against a building.

After his run in with the brat he had meandered around a while longer, stopping by the local blacksmith to secure a load of scrap metal before begrudgingly deciding it was time to get to the guild. He knew he had been stalling himself in going there, not really in the mood to deal with his recently acquired guild mates today. That was when he caught her scent on the breeze. Like a starving man trained on the scent of food, he followed where the scent trail led. He ducked between buildings and stayed in the shadows and realized as he hunted that he was grinning. That gave him pause for a second, and then a flashback to his recurring dream appeared in his mind's eye; the warmth in the darkness and how he hungered to bask in it. Grunting to himself as his grin faded, he blinked and refocused on her scent, following it until finally laying his constricted crimson eyes on her form. He leaned close against the nearest building, ducking back into the shadows of the ally. He let his eyes drink their fill of the blue haired girl. There she sat, nibbling contently on….Gajeel breathed in through his nose… and grinned. An apple fritter. He was secretly kind of partial to that treat himself. He continued to watch as she smiled to herself and tilted her head back with her eyes closed, letting the sun's rays trace over her exposed skin. His mouth and throat went dry as he thought, _she's fucking beautiful._ It was wonderful to see a genuine smile on her face. He had not seen one grace her lips since the day he had first showed up in the guild hall. He felt his innards constrict in guilt. He had to make it up to her. He had to do more. He had hoped that allowing her sissy Shadow Gear partners to vent their frustrations on him that day would show that he was trying; he was willing to do what was needed to gain their forgiveness. He had met them there knowing that that was their plan, and he had accepted it. He had watched Levy cower behind the tree, trying to convince her team mates that they shouldn't do it. It gave him hope that _she_ , out of all of them; at least she just might come to forgive him down the road. Then there was Laxus. That bastard stung, Gajeel growled in his thoughts. When he rushed to block that lightning bolt that was hell bent to strike the blue-haired girl cowering against the tree he hadn't hesitated. No hidden agenda had caused that instinctual reaction to protect her. He'd never moved so fast in his life.

His thoughts were interrupted as he suddenly watched her features cloud over and her body curled in on itself. He panicked and seeing this sudden change in her behavior made his stomach drop. Did she see him? Before his panic took full hold he watched as her features grew soft again, albeit slightly reserved. Still not the beaming smile he had been spellbound by moments before. Sighing, he pushed himself off of the building and stood straight, running his hands down his attire in a feeble attempt to rid himself of the dirt of his past. Swallowing hard, he stepped out from the shadows and started making his way to the table where she sat. If he wanted her to see him in a different light, he was going to have to start somewhere. Also, he admitted to himself, he wanted to be the reason behind those dazzling smiles.


	3. Chapter 3

**Abyss: Chapter 3**

Levy lowered her apple fritter to her napkin as her thoughts continued on their own accord. She remembered how conflicted she had felt watching Jet and Droy attack Gajeel that day they had decided to lure him to get revenge. Gajeel just took it without fighting back, she saw that immediately. Something in his eyes was different than the murderous glint that they held the night he had attacked them for Phantom Lord. Then when Laxus had arrived and dished out his own punishment on Gajeel, Levy couldn't stop herself from shouting at the Lightning Dragon in Gajeel's defense. When Laxus had turned his rage on her she had been frozen in confusion and fear. That bolt of lightning came so fast the only reaction she had managed was to raise her arm in a feeble attempt to block it. The loud clap of the impact burst in her ears, but she felt nothing. Further confused, she had lowered her arm and what she saw stunned her to her core. Gajeel had raced to take the hit…for her.

Just then a shadow engulfed her form, breaking her from her thoughts. She focused on the outline of the shadow before her on the table. Spikey hair? Her eyes further traced the shadows outline. Broad shoulders, jutted elbows below that appearing that the person had their arms crossed, then the iconic feathery shoulder piece that belonged to none other than…

Levy swallowed hard and turned in her chair, her hazel eyes meeting those burning crimson ones of the object of her recent thoughts.

"G..Gajeel?" She stuttered hesitantly.

Gajeel almost instantly regretted his bravado in coming to talk to her. Besides suddenly not finding the words to greet her like a normal person would, the flicker of fear in her eyes as she turned to meet his gaze froze his mind and sent an unpleasant searing feeling to the pit of his stomach. He forced himself to unfold his arms in an attempt to make himself appear less intimidating. It was hard going against what was just naturally ingrained behavior for him. Further, he managed a grin that he hoped did not look too creepy. When he saw her eyes sweep over him at this sudden change in his body language, she ever so slightly relaxed and this gave him the extra push to finally manage to say,

"Oy."

Before Levy could think of how to respond to the towering man before her a high pitched voice broke through the sudden bubble that enveloped them.

"Levy-chan!"

Levy and Gajeel both turned in unison to see a small boy bounding up to them, breathless, wide-eyed and excited like he had just conquered a mountain. Levy flashed a smile as she leaned down from her chair, arms extended for a welcoming embrace.

"Kosuke-kun, what are you up to?" Levy greeted the boy as he plowed into her, causing Levy to squeak slightly at the impact.

Gajeel's eyes narrowed at the boy. Now he understood the resemblance and he wondered why he didn't detect Levy's smell on him before.

Kosuke's eyes widened then narrowed to tiny slits as he finally noticed the man standing beside Levy as he peeked up over her arms.

"Youuuuu," he practically hissed and proceeded to flutter around in Levy's arms until she dropped the hug and sat straight, suddenly curious about the exchange happening between the boy and the Iron Dragon.

"Oy, brat" Gajeel grinned down at him and moved his hand to tousle his hair like he had before. Kosuke blushed for a split second then moved out from under the hand that nearly swallowed his head. His still narrowed eyes glared up at Gajeel as he crossed his arms.

"What are _you_ doing with my sister?" He interrogated.

Gajeel saw the glint of iron still clasped in Kosuke's hand before he crossed his arms, trying to hide that he still possessed the small gift he'd been given for his braveness earlier. That same fanged grin spread across Gajeel's lips as he regarded the boy.

Sensing that her brother was being bristly and protective on her behalf because of her and Gajeel's dark past, Levy quickly stood and knelt next to Kosuke, her eyes catching a glint of something in his grasp and used her sudden curiosity as an excuse to diffuse the awkward situation. She reached for it and instantly recoiled when she felt the cold bite of that familiar iron.

"K-Kosuke, what is that in your hand?" She stuttered nervously. She watched as her brother turned his body slightly towards her, never breaking his gaze on Gajeel as he unfurled his arms and offered his hand to his sister, opening his little fingers from around his prize for Levy to see.

Levy couldn't help the smile that crept over her lips as her eyes looked over the tiny iron dragon sculpture in her brother's palm. No doubt, Gajeel had crafted it himself and had bestowed it to Kosuke. No one else she knew had such an intimate knowledge of the element enough to craft something so small and intricate. Her hazel eyes rose to Gajeel and she found his crimson ones staring right back, regarding her curiously. His intense gaze sent a jolt of heat straight to her stomach and she felt a slight blush on her cheeks. She lowered her gaze to her brother who still had his eyes fixated on the Dragon Slayer defiantly.

"H-how did you get this?" She inquired gently, wondering when and where Kosuke and Gajeel had crossed paths.

"He threw a rock at me," Gajeel said in a rumbly voice, a smirk still hovering on his lips.

Levy gasped and Kosuke puffed out his little chest proudly. "You deserved it, you jerk." He quipped, subconsciously moving a step closer to his sister.

Gajeel watched the boy move. He was mostly amused, but he fought the urge to feel annoyed that the boy felt like he needed to protect his sister right now.

"Relax kid, I ain't gonna do anything." He grumbled. Gajeel moved to step around them then, deciding it was time to head on to the guild, having had his fix. As he passed Kosuke again, he rested his hand on the boy's blue hair and gave it a tousle.

"You're right, though," Gajeel muttered as he looked down at Kosuke. His gaze shifted then to pin Levy's eyes as he continued, "I deserved it."

He then dropped his hand by his side and moved on, once again slowly making his way to the guild.


	4. Chapter 4

**Abyss: Chapter 4**

As Gajeel walked his mind was racing wildly. He had watched as Levy had knelt beside Kosuke after seeing something in his grasp. He felt a sharp pain in his heart when she reacted the way that she did when her fingers initially touched his creation. But then, the utterly unexpected happened. He watched her eyes warm over and a soft smile creep across her lips as she inspected what he had given her brother. She had liked it. That caused a gush of warmth to spread through his core and at the time he fought the urge to smile in excitement. Then as he had continued to watch her reaction she had lifted those soft hazel eyes to meet his gaze and a jolt coursed through him that was not overall unpleasant. Then he saw the faint blush creep up on her cheeks before she looked away.

He smiled now as a walked, a full fanged toothy smile that must have appeared especially creepy to those close enough to see it as they watched him go by while exchanging quizzical glances. He didn't notice, nor would he have cared at this point. He had hope, and he had an idea.

Levy watched Gajeel's broad back as he sauntered away, still frozen by the intensity of that last look and the words he had said. _I deserved it_. That was the first time any reference to the past had been verbalized between them and his tone was…sad? Levy's brows furrowed slightly as his voice echoed in her mind. Then she smiled faintly as she realized that it was an apology. He was remorseful for what he had done to her in the past and perhaps his approaching her today was him trying to start to mend that wound. Her smile grew a little wider then suddenly she was torn from her musings by Kosuke tugging on her arm and shaking her back to the present.

"Huh, what?" Levy blinked then focused on her brothers face, seeing that he was regarding her carefully.

"You're smiling, after talking to _him_?" He emphasized in reference to Gajeel, watching Levy finally stand and gaze past him in the direction the Dragon Slayer had disappeared.

"Yeah," Levy sighed, "I guess I am."

Kosuke growled to himself. "He doesn't deserve _that_ ," the young boy grumbled, finally breaking away from his sister to make his way home. As he walked he held the tiny iron sculpture in his hand, his fingers running over its curves. He could tell that Gajeel could be someone he might look up to eventually, but for now, he had to prove himself to the boy first. He may be younger than Levy, but he was still fiercely protective of his sister, especially after everything she had endured by Gajeel's hands. Levy was a soft soul with a gentle heart and he suspected that his sister would forgive the Iron Dragon sooner than she should.

Later that night Levy sat at her desk, her eyes aimed at the script of the old tome beneath her nose, but the words were not registering. Her thoughts were mulling over the events that happened between her and Gajeel earlier that day. She was confused as to what to do; what to feel. She knew that she was a kindhearted person and that she usually forgave people long before they ever apologized to her, but did she feel that way towards Gajeel? It was just before he approached her today that she was thinking back about where their lives initially crossed that dark and horrific night he attacked, tortured, and pinned Team Shadow Gear to a tree in Magnolia Southgate Park. Then, instead of just leaving, he took the extra time to paint the Phantom Lord Guild emblem on the exposed skin of her belly, seeming to take his time like he was savoring her desecration.

She shook her head absently, trying to rid herself of those dark thoughts. That wasn't who he was now, was it? That old Gajeel would not have moved to protect her from harm; he would have just stood by and laughed as it happened. The old Gajeel would not have handed a bratty kid a token of acceptance after being assaulted but would have just swatted him away. Besides being given a fresh start in Fairy Tail, why did he have the sudden change of heart and such a drastic change in character?

It wasn't just about being able to get jobs, as he had initially stated when first confronted by Natsu after he first joined. Levy believed that the guild and its members were genuinely growing on the Iron Dragon Slayer, breaking down that iron wall that he must have constructed around his heart and soul after being left by Metalicana and being ordered to do such evil deeds in the now disbanded Phantom Lord.

He had put some nervous effort into the smile he offered her today and for once, her blood did not run cold at the sight of him. She had felt her heart warm a bit towards him today, especially after watching him interact almost affectionately with Kosuke. Then there was that piercing stare he gave her that she felt penetrate to her soul. A hot jolt shot through her belly again just thinking about it and she felt her cheeks flush. It was an odd feeling to associate with the Dragon Slayer for sure, after being terrified of him for so long.

Levy sighed as she sat back in her chair, looking out at the darkened world beyond her window. He had apologized to her in his own way today, she knew. It was time to mend the past and move forward.

She turned off her light and crawled into her bed. Her mind was set. Tomorrow, she would seek Gajeel out. Her eyes closed and it wasn't long before the exhaustion from her emotional rollercoaster day took hold and she fell into a deep sleep.

 ***That's it for now! Please review ^.^ I have more chapters, but I would like some feedback before I post the rest of what I have. Thank you!**


	5. Chapter 5

**(Thank you for the feedback so far! I am glad you like it. Sorry this next one is so short. Just about to finish up with Chapter 6 as well, then these posts will be caught up with what I currently have. I hope I don't disappoint! It might be a little slow going while I develop the rest)**

 **Abyss: Chapter 5**

She had missed him.

Levy puffed a disappointed sigh as she plopped on a stool before the bar in Fairy Tail's guild hall. Mirajane peered down the bar at the Script Mage, her interest piqued as the girl hardly ever sat at the bar. A wry smile weaved across the white haired mage as she slipped her way down to Levy to pry into the reason behind the rare occasion.

"Looking for someone?" Mira's lilting voice broke Levy from her thoughts and she planted her elbow to the bar, dropping her chin to rest in her palm as her troubled hazel eyes rose to meet the knowing sapphire gaze of the guild's not so secret gossiper.

"Oh, Mira, good morning." Then after another second of mulling, "I was hoping to find Gajeel here this morning."

"Oh?" Mirajane hummed, her eyes lowering to inspect a mug she had been cleaning out. "He took a job request this morning. Nothing too serious for him, he should be back in a couple of days…" She hesitated long enough for her eyes to fix back to the blue haired girl before her, "Maybe a week." She studied Levy closely to watch her reaction and was not disappointed to see the girls brows crease ever so slightly.

"I see," Levy stated after a moment, her free hand tracing invisible circles on the bar top. Then, as if suddenly getting a kick in the pants she sat up straight and smiled cheerfully towards Mirajane as she jumped off of the barstool and landed with a clap of her shoes. She knew that she was acting strangely out of character and she didn't want Mira to start any sappy rumors regarding herself and the Iron Mage.

"Jet, Droy…" Levy called to her team mates as she whirled around to find them. It didn't take them long to come running up to her bright-eyed and grinning. "Let's get a job!" She cheered enthusiastically, her sudden bubbly display causing her two over the top team mates to shout in unison "Aye!"

It was after noon by the time Team Shadow Gear settled on a job in Hargeon concerning a private collector of antiquities who had lost an artifact to a bounty hunter and was now paying a handsome sum of Jewel to see it returned.

"Seems pretty cut and dry," Jet beamed confidently as they took their seats on a train bound for the harbor city.

"Let's hope," Droy interjected pessimistically as he eyed Levy sitting on the bench across from her two team mates. He waited for her usual optimism to oppose his statement, but she stared fixedly out of the window, lost in thought. The two males exchanged glances, but shrugged off Levy's quiet air, assuming she was deep in thought about her latest book.


	6. Chapter 6

**(Thank you for the encouragement! Here's the last chapter I had written in advance. The rest is flying by the seat of my pants. I hope not to keep you waiting too long for the rest. Enjoy!)**

 **Abyss: Chapter 6**

Gajeel sauntered into the guild hall a few days later. He immediately noticed that Levy's scent was faint. She hadn't been here in a few days, which was unusual considering she practically lived in the guild library. He felt some guild mates eyes on him and he realized that he had stopped mid stride. Not wanting to look suspicious, or foolish, he feigned a sneeze then continued moving out of habit towards the far corner of the bar, taking up a seat on his usual stool. It creaked under the weight of the large man and he glanced back over his shoulders, satisfied to see that no one paid him any mind any more.

Mirajane seemed to materialize before Gajeel which made him recoil slightly when he finally noticed her, instantly suspicious of her even though she tilted her head and smiled sweetly before greeting him.

"Welcome back, Gajeel. I hope your job wasn't too troublesome." She reached below the bar and secured a mug, pouring the Iron Dragon's usual drought and placed the frothy beverage before him gently.

Gajeel nodded both in response and thanks simultaneously as he took a long gulp from the mug, placing it back down on the bar with a grunt. He wondered why the S-class Take Over Mage still hovered in front of him, his annoyance at the fact mixing with the fact that he was certain she was about to meddle in something she shouldn't, fully aware of her reputation of being hyper perceptive of her guild mates and their feelings.

"Before you even say it, I wasn't looking for Levy." He lied while looking over his shoulder to see if he could spy those two pansies that constantly chased around her heels.

"I wasn't about to say that at all," she lied right back, smiling innocently as she watched his crimson eyes sweep every corner of the guild hall before turning his attention back to his drink. He couldn't afford to sit here and think with Mirajane most likely already plotting something. So, he brought the mug to his lips and immediately downed the rest of the beer, setting the mug back down as he stood and turned, raising a hand to wave bye as he sauntered off, ignoring the instigative threats Natsu shouted from behind him while shaking his fist in the air. He faintly heard, "Come back and fight me, Metal-Head!" as the guild doors closed behind him.

"Must be on a mission," he guessed to himself as he stepped out into the rather cold and gloomy day. Jet and Droy's faint scent mingled with Levy's and they all seemed to have headed towards the train station.

Gajeel frowned absent mindedly then. He didn't have the best of faith in those two block heads when it came to carrying their weight on the "team". He had firsthand knowledge on just how weak they were, even though he had ambushed them back then, they had not recovered enough to fight back. And that worried him.

He continued to mull over that aspect in particular as he found himself moving through the network of streets and side streets of Magnolia on his way back to the bakery where he had come up on Levy the other day. Worried? Yes, he admitted to himself, he was worried about the Script Mage. He stood over the table she had been sitting at, taking in her very faint scent, and that of Kosuke. Perhaps the boy would know the details of the mission his sister had left on and Gajeel might get a better sense on whether her time away was appropriate, or whether she was delayed.

Following the faint scent of the boy, Gajeel wondered how he would be received by the spirited brat and how he could convince him to indulge any information of his sister's whereabouts to him. He had an inkling that it wasn't going to be easy.

It was raining by the time Gajeel managed to pin point the apartment where both Levy's and Kosuke's scent convened, surmising that they must share the abode. Good, he thought as he raised a fist to pound on the door. That would mean the boy should know for sure where his sister was. His highly sensitive ears picked up on the scurrying going on behind the door, then a pause… a long pause.

Gajeel huffed impatiently and gave the door a few more solid pounds.

"Oy, Kosuke." _Pound. Pound._ "Open the door," he hesitated, grinding his teeth together as he forced out, "please."

He heard an exasperated sigh behind the door and the locks being switched over. Light poured out of the opening doorway, bathing Gajeel in its gentle glow and he found himself taking a reflexive deep breath of the air that whooshed out from within. It smelled strongly of books, ink, and Levy. As he took it in, warmth spread through his entire being and he stood there afraid to move, not wanting the sudden comfort to end.

Kosuke cleared his throat, the guttural noise breaking Gajeel from his silent revere. His crimson eyes shot open and he looked down to meet the unimpressed leer of the young boy, one side of his little mouth tugged down in an exaggerated scowl.

Gajeel couldn't help but smirk, this brat reminded him a little of himself as a child.

"What do _you_ want," Kosuke snapped as he eyed the Iron Dragon up and down.

Gajeel panicked for a second, having not hatched a solid game plan to win over a favor from the kid before he had pounded on the door. He swallowed stiffly, deciding that the only chance he had was to play the only card he had in common with the boy at that moment; Levy's wellbeing.

"It's about Levy," Gajeel started slowly, watching Kosuke's brown eyes for a reaction. It was mildly fascinating to read the range of emotions that played across the boy's face then at the mention of his sister's name from Gajeel's lips. First there was unmistakably irritation, next exasperation, anger, and then finally, a hint of worry.

"What about Levy?" The boy finally managed, his voice level for once, no hint of the venom he had had with the Dragon Slayer just a moment before.

"I..uh," Gajeel started, not sure whether he should feign ignorance to the fact that he knew she was already on a job, or to just come right out and get the answers he came here for. He watched Kosuke shift in the doorway, opening the door a little wider. It was a sign of trust, whether intentional or not, and it gave Gajeel a bit of reassurance. Besides, he never was one to beat around the bushes.

"I need to know where she is and how long she's been gone." _Because I'm worried about her._ He didn't indulge that last part, yet, and he tried not to come off as too demanding.

He panicked as he saw Kosuke bristle and the scowl returned. _Shit._ Gajeel thought. _Here it comes._


	7. Chapter 7

**(I can't stop, hahaha. I'm glad that I've had the day off today to keep this story going. Might be a little while before the next chapter though, sorry for the cliff hanger)**

 **Abyss: Chapter 7**

"Why do _you_ care?!" Kosuke seethed as he threw open the door completely. His fists balled as he held his arms by his side, trembling suddenly with barely contained adolescent fury. How dare Gajeel come here to their home, _her_ safe place, making demands on where Levy was.

Gajeel stood there, taking whatever the kid wanted to dish. He could see in his flashing brown eyes that there was a lot that he needed to get off his little chest.

"You going to sneak attack her again, huh!?" Kosuke continued. "Haven't you hurt her enough already?!"

The Iron Dragon grimaced at that one. His brows furrowed as the boys words cut deeper than he expected them to do. Looking down at his face and the similar features he shared with Levy, it was hard not to imagine her herself here giving him this tongue lashing.

"She… she's been so afraid to leave the house! She just stays cooped up in her room, hiding away from the world when she used to love being a part of it every day!" Hot tears started running down his red cheeks.

Kosuke stepped forward then, surprising Gajeel enough to lean back slightly as the boy stabbed a finger hard into the Iron Dragon's chest vehemently.

" _You_ _did that!"_ He shrieked.

Gajeel swallowed the knee-jerk reaction to snap back at the kid who dared stand up to him. Instead his face contorted into his signature scowl that would normally send the enemy running. He watched as the boy lost some of the fire in his eyes and he backed up a hair, but still stood firm, his fists planting on his hips as he craned his neck to glare right back at Gajeel, his breaths ragged from the turmoil of emotions coursing through him.

"It's not like that at all," Gajeel finally growled, talking slowly so his words would register in the boys head, trying to calm him down.

"I…," he hesitated. He wasn't sure why he couldn't just admit out loud that he was worried about her. Maybe he didn't have the right to care about her well being. That thought made him lose his resolve on why he was standing here in the first place. It made him start doubting the feelings he was starting to nurture inside regarding the Script Mage. Perhaps he was always destined to remain in the dark, the warmth of her aura just a thing to be marveled at a distance, something never made for him to touch, something he didn't deserve to touch. He growled low and turned on his heels, his boots sloshing through the rain puddles as he stalked away.

"Forget it!" he roared over his shoulder, finally losing his composure, but proud that he had held it for that long. _Stupid brat._

He made his way through the rain and the darkening sky, the few people who happened to be in his way were shouldered aside. He didn't care at that moment. Kosuke's words still burned in his mind, tearing at his heart and he just wanted to get back to the solitude of his cabin. Away, back into the darkness.

Kosuke had watched him turn and leave, his body jumped at the force of Gajeel's roar as he stalked away. He stepped back inside his and Levy's apartment and closed the door none too gently, moving his forearms up to wipe away the tears that stained his cheeks. He was still mad, but having said what was on his mind did blow off a majority of the steam he had built up concerning Gajeel Redfox.

He moved into his sister's room, eyeing her heaps and stacks of books and moved to her desk, absently fingering the old tome that currently took up a majority of the furniture's real estate. His eyes then landed on the small sculpted iron dragon. How had it gotten in here? She must have sneaked it from his room and placed it on her own desk. But why would she want something that would remind her of him here, in her room, her safe haven? She had already forgiven him, he snorted, shaking his head absently. He didn't want his sister viewed as a push over, especially by someone as dangerous as Gajeel.

Even as he thought it to himself, he knew it was a contradiction to the man he just verbally pummeled outside the door. He sighed as he finally admitted that he was not the same guy any more. Kosuke knew he was pushing buttons he shouldn't have tonight and he was satisfied to see the glint of hurt in Gajeel's eyes. Not because he enjoyed hurting others, although he did enjoy being his sisters champion for that confrontation, but because it showed him that Gajeel regretted what he had done to her before. His body language spoke louder than the words he was hesitating to say.

Kosuke sighed as he left Levy's room and plopped onto the couch in their small living room. It had been a little longer for his sister to return than he had anticipated. But he hadn't yet begun to worry. She was a very capable wizard, he knew, even though she was modest enough to not think so highly of herself. He also knew that her curiosity tended to make even simple tasks draw out ungodly long because she had to dabble in anything and everything she could find.

Still…after Gajeel's sudden appearance asking about her mission and the concern he heard hidden beneath his demanding tone made him second guess his own confidence in his reasoning behind her tardiness.

Maybe he would tell Gajeel after all.

Grabbing his jacket and donning his boots, he set out from the apartment in the direction he had seen Gajeel retreating. He heard rumors that the Iron Dragon Slayer had a cabin somewhere on the southern outskirts of town, and he was already heading south. He silently hoped that that was where he was headed. Absently he realized that he hadn't grabbed a light lacrima to bring with and a quick glance at the sky revealed that it was getting dark rather quickly. Kosuke picked up his pace.

He squinted his eyes to make out the boot prints in the mud once he reached the end of the cobblestone streets at the southern gates of Magnolia. In the scant light, the prints were barely discernible and just melted together with dozens of others in the rain and the mud.

"Balls," the boy muttered to himself and lifted his gaze to the dark road that stretched ahead. At least in the darkness, if there were any lights on inside of the Dragon Slayers home, it would serve as a beacon for Kosuke to find. Setting his jaw in a determined tilt, he stomped forward into the blackness outside of the city.

Before long Kosuke had taken some turns and corners, his determination fizzling rather quickly when after about an hour of wandering, he still had not managed to stumble upon Gajeel's abode. He was getting rather cold, having been in the rain for that long it was starting to soak through his jacket. Puffing out a sigh he turned in a slow circle, straining his eyes to see anything in the blackness that swallowed him.

Then he heard a growl. The hairs on his neck stood on end and he froze. He was out in the open on the muddy road and completely vulnerable. The rhythmic padding of something sloshing through the mud around him made him scramble to his pockets, reaching for anything he could use in defense if needed. Whatever it was was circling him, eyeing him up. His heart beat thundered in his ears as he started to panic. He didn't know magic. He should have paid attention to Levy's lessons whenever she tried to share her knowledge. The sound of the padding was getting closer. A wet snarl sounded behind him and he felt something brush the back of his leg. He drew in a breath and he screamed into the darkness the first word that came to his mind.

"GAJEEEEEL!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Abyss: Chapter 8**

Gajeel was chewing on a piece of scrap metal, leaning over in his chair as he allowed his thoughts to wander. A fire crackled softly in his self made wood stove, the heat radiating from it doing little to warm the cold that was enveloping his body. Subconsciously he grumbled to himself, for no reason in particular other than that it fit his foul mood.

Then he heard his name on a blood curdling scream. He stopped mid chew and shot up straight out of the chair, his sensitive Dragon senses going on full alert as he paused a second before bolting out his front door.

He picked up Kosuke's scent on the breeze immediately and sprinted towards him, his crimson hues easily piercing the darkness and allowing him to navigate the maze of trees toward the main road where he could sense the boy's smell getting stronger. As he grew nearer he heard the sound of fists impacting padded fur and just as he bolted into the clearing his eyes fixed on the boy as a wolf crouched and leapt towards his back.

Gajeel was there in an instant, wrapping one arm around the boy to bring him close and shield him with his body, his other arm taking on the form of a thick steel rod just as the wolf's mouth closed on it, breaking a few teeth in a sickening crunch.

"How'dya like the taste of that, bastard!" he growled at the canine before shoving it away and sucking in a deep breath of air.

"Iron Dragon Roar!" he shouted and unleashed a torrent of iron magic that swallowed the wolf, driving it back as the iron shards within the blast shredded fur and muscle and bone. The remnants of the animal collapsed on the road several feet away.

Gajeel breathed heavily, his arm shifting back to normal as he reached down to grip Kosuke's shoulders, moving to gently push him at arm's length so he could inspect the boy for injuries. But the kid refused to let go of the hold he had around Gajeel's waist.

"Oy, brat, you're safe now," he tried his best at a comforting tone. He smelled blood, the scent reminiscent of Levy's blood. He knew it belonged to Kosuke.

"Oy, Kosuke," he tried again and froze as he felt the boy shaking against him, the muffled sobs wracking his whole body. Gajeel stood there, his shoulders falling as his crimson orbs fixed on the blue head of hair resting against his stomach. Without saying another word, he wrapped his strong arms around the sobbing child and pulled him closer, sighing despite himself. He had come looking for him.

"Let's get inside, kid." Gajeels deep voice pierced the silence that had enveloped them after a moment. He felt Kosuke loosen his hold on his waist and his head nodded weakly.

Gajeel scooped him up in his arms and started back towards his cabin. He was cold, and weak, but still had a strong heart beat that Gajeel could tell.

He was a fighter. Gajeel shook his head admirably as he spared a glance down at the boy. He had been punching that wolf with his bare fists, doing his best to keep the creature at bay while going off of the trust he placed in Gajeel that he had heard his cry and would come to dispatch the beast to help him.

Before long Gajeel trotted up the steps leading to his still parted front door and stepped inside. Immediately he moved to sit the boy in a chair, scooting it closer to the wood stove to start the process of heating the kid up. Carefully he peeled Kosuke's sopping wet jacket off and tossed the item to the side. He kneeled before him as his eyes swept him over, inspecting closely to see where his injuries were. There were some gashes to his hands and knuckles, and a rather nasty looking bite on his right forearm. Luckily it seemed that his jacket had taken most of the abuse, but the punctures to his forearm were still pretty deep. Gajeel lifted his gaze to fix on the glazed over hues of the boy before him and he lifted a hand to rest on his shoulder, waiting until Kosuke moved his eyes to meet his.

"You alright?" Gajeel asked, watching as the kid nodded once, the faintest grin tugging on the side of his lips.

"Okay then, let's fix you up."

An hour later Gajeel leaned back in the chair he'd planted next to his bed and he watched Kosuke sleep.

No other words had been exchanged between them the remainder of the night. After Gajeel had cleaned and bandaged the boys arm and hands he had scooped him up once more, his clothes now dry, and deposited him in the middle of his massive bed.

Kosuke didn't have the strength to protest, and feeling the safest he'd had in a long time, he had quickly succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep on the soft mattress.

Gajeel reached for a thick wool blanket then and pulled it up over Kosuke's shoulders, finally standing with a stretch and heavy sigh as he crossed his arms behind his head. His chin tilted back and his eyes closed.

" _There are some people in this world who prefer isolation, however, there isn't a single person who can endure it."_

Master Makarov's words echoed in his head.

" _There's no need to plunge yourself into darkness_."

He'd forgotten the impact of those words the day that Makarov had come to find him to invite him into Fairy Tail. Remembering them now renewed his resolve to change his path in life. He still was a work in progress and he felt he was making strides to change the opinions of those around him, both inside and outside of the guild. He wasn't destined to stay in the dark; he would continue fighting his way towards the light. He wanted to gain Levy's acceptance more than anything, so he could finally absolve the sins of his past in the warmth of her aura and her friendship.

Come morning he would find out just where she had gone to, and to hell with anyone who tried to stop him from going after her.


	9. Chapter 9

**(Sorry it's taken a few days to add this. I wrote this after working 12 hour shifts so, hopefully the tone and quality hasn't dipped. Please let me know if you see any issues. Thanks!)**

 **Abyss: Chapter 9**

Levy ducked behind a thick tree trunk, panting quietly as her hazel eyes connected with Jet and Droy, who were crouched behind some bushes a few paces behind her. She nodded her head, signaling them it was safe to advance.

They had closed in on the bounty hunters makeshift camp in the forest north east of Hargeon.

It was days ago that they had initially met up with the antique collector who had placed the job. He revealed to them that the bounty hunter had gained access into the private collection by pretending to be an appraiser that he had hired to look at his latest addition. Apparently the thief was a wizard, having used Transformation magic to steal the guise of the appraiser and made off quite easily with the antique once he slipped a sleep potion into the glass of champagne that the private collector had been drinking.

People under his employ had remembered seeing the thief bolt towards the estate's gardens, the huge expanse of which reached back towards the forest on the north east side of town.

Before rushing head first into the trees, Levy decided, much to the chagrin of the man who hired them, that it would be best to try to find out as much information as she could regarding the mage who had stolen the item.

Audrick Bastion was his name. An ex member of Phantom Lord gone rogue thief and bounty hunter. The Magic Council already had a reward out for his capture due to the numerous crimes he'd since committed.

Levy figured it was probably difficult to track him down due to his ability to take on the form of anyone he wished to. That was why she was suspicious it was so relatively easy to find his camp. She had ordered the three of them to constantly stay in each other's sights. Having the mage transform into one of them would end up being devastating to their mission. Just to be safe, Levy had made up a password that they would all know just in case they were separated and reunited. They would all know immediately if one of them was a fake.

They all came to rest, huddled behind the girth of the tree trunk, silently nodding to each other to continue as planned.

Levy rolled out from behind the tree then, quickly writing a solid script in the air for "gale" and sent it sailing towards the tent. Immediately the small campfire was blown out from the force of the wind cloaking them all in darkness. The tent was torn from its holdings and blasted up to tangle in the pine boughs above. They all squinted and shifted on high alert as they struggled to see into the clearing scantily lit by the moonlight.

Droy unleashed his attack in the space suddenly revealed by the tent being ripped away.

"Knuckle Plant!" he shouted after throwing a handful of his seeds into the area. Immediately the seeds grew to vines that shot fists in every direction into the empty space, hoping to connect with the mage that they suspected was caught unawares.

After a long period of silence, Levy wrote a script for "aluminate" and lifted it up towards the canopy above, suddenly bathing the ground beneath in a soft glow. Moments later they were huddled together, back to back, investigating the area.

"No one is here," Levy whispered to her team mates. She bit her bottom lip nervously, not liking the predicament that they were in. She suddenly felt very vulnerable.

Then the sickening sound of a fist slamming against Droy's head filled Levy's ears and she turned to see her black haired team mate falling face first to the ground, knocked out cold. Jet stood there towering over her, a sinister smirk spread across his lips before his unfamiliar glowing eyes raised to fix on Levy. Her blood ran cold.

"You're a clever one, Script Mage, but not clever enough to trick me!"

Without hesitation, Levy wrote out the word "ink" in the air and threw it towards Jet's eyes, moving to sprint away without watching whether her spell struck or not.

Levy ran as fast as she could; ducking between trees and branches as best as she could in the darkness. An irritated roar sounded close behind her, then the sound of Droy screaming her name, which gave her pause. She stopped to look over her shoulder only to see a fist streak towards her face from the shadows. The hard knuckles connected with her temple, sending starts shooting into her line of vision. She fell to her knees and she felt her hair being torn backwards as her assailant grabbed a fist full of her blue locks, torqueing her neck back so he could glare down at her.

"Nice try, girly," Audrick Bastion seethed before throwing her down onto the cold damp earth. Her last thought before the toe of his boot connected with the side of her head was of a certain crimson eyed Dragon Slayer. The heat of his last gaze upon her filled her with warmth as she lost consciousness.

 _Gajeel…_


	10. Chapter 10

**Abyss: Chapter 10**

Kosuke woke with a start early the next morning, his dream ending with that wolf leaping towards him and clamping down on his neck, the crunch echoing in his mind. His eyes snapped open, thankful that that was not how things ended last night. Thanks to the Iron Dragon Slayer. He sat up, rubbing at his neck absently with a bandaged hand as he looked around the inside of Gajeel's cabin. The small one room abode was very rustic in nature. Aged wood, metal fixtures, some of them made by the Iron Mage himself he guessed. Why buy something when you can make it? With his thoughts suddenly on Gajeel, he turned to search him out, surprised to find the man passed out in a chair beside the bed. His head was lulled back and to the side, resting on his shoulder, his arms hanging down on either side of his torso and his legs propped up on the table top, crossed at the ankles. He looked calm, serene, and very _not_ dangerous. He looked normal. Kosuke smirked to himself, figuring not many people, if any, got to see this relaxed and vulnerable side to the tough, cold and mighty Gajeel Black Steel.

Kosuke shifted on the bed then, moving to get up when suddenly the frame squeaked beneath him, causing Gajeel to awaken with a jolt that caused him to lose his balance, falling off the side of his chair to the floor with a heavy thud.

"Uunnghhh," Gajeel moaned against the floorboards and Kosuke could not help the giggle that escaped his lips.

Seconds later a black head of disheveled hair rose up above the edge of the bed, piercing crimson eyes stabbing a glare dripping with warning to the boy.

"No one hears of this, brat, or I will make your life a living hell." He growled low, waiting until Kosuke's giggling was stifled behind a crooked grin before he was satisfied enough to stand and groan with a stretch.

Gajeel realized then that it was the first time he'd heard the boy laugh. He looked sideways toward the kid, taking note of the silly grin he was wearing this morning. Something had changed.

"Do I have something on my face?" Gajeel teased in a deadly serious tone and with a scowl on his face. Kosuke saw right through him and teased right back haughtily, "A whole lot of ugly. You need to fix that if you want to date my sister."

"Pffft... I….she," Gajeel floundered, the faintest blush creeping up his cheeks, his movements an exaggerated flailing. "I do _not_ want to date your sister! It's not like that!" He finally managed, crossing his arms and turning his head to the side away from Kosuke in a childish type pout. After a prolonged moment of silence between the two, Gajeel lowered his arms, standing up tall and squaring his shoulders, yet still averting his gaze away from the boy. "I owe her," his deep voice rumbled in the room, confessing his innermost thoughts to Levy's little brother. "I need to know where she is, Kosuke, so I can help her if I can…if she needs me." The last part he added quietly to himself.

Kosuke finally stood from Gajeel's bed, moving to stand next to the dark man who towered over him. He leaned around to look into his crimson eyes. He saw a fierce determination there; a passion that he'd seen sometimes reflected in Levy's own eyes when she got her mind set to do something.

"If anyone can help her, you can, Gajeel." He stated matter-of-factly. Gajeel moved his hand to tousle Kosuke's hair then before the boy snorted and added, "Much better than those two boobs she's teamed up with."

"Gihi," Gajeel chuckled, his fangs flashing as he smiled. "Damn straight."

Later that morning Gajeel and Kosuke walked together back to Magnolia. The Dragon Slayer intended to escort the boy home, despite his pleas to tag along.

"You'll just get in the way," Gajeel finally stated coolly, ignoring the pout that clouded Kosuke's features. He was crestfallen and remained sulking and quiet the rest of the way back to his and Levy's apartment.

Kosuke opened the apartment door and started stepping inside as Gajeel turned to start heading to the train station. "Thank you," Kosuke said quietly over his shoulder towards the dark clad Dragon Slayer. _Thank you for saving me, and for caring about Levy._ Gajeel heard him with his sensitive hearing, but did not pause for a second to respond. His brows furrowed as he focused on the task before him as he stalked, his crimson eyes flashing. He had a bad feeling in his gut that something had happened to Levy and Shadow Gear. It had been a week now since they had left on their mission and it was not like Hargeon was a far off destination.

He boarded the train bound for Hargeon and brooded quietly on a bench to himself, his mind running through everything Kosuke had told him on their walk this morning about what he knew of their mission. It sounded pretty straight forward, to him, which further raised his suspicion that something had gone amiss. With his heightened sense of smell, he figured it wouldn't be hard to hone in on Levy's scent and follow it to where she was. Yep, that was the extent of his plan. He wasn't one to worry about details. With nothing but his thoughts for company over the next few hours his thoughts then shifted back to Kosuke.

The boy reminded him of himself, and their recent interactions were reminiscent of how Metalicana used to treat him as a boy. Gruff, but caring. That Dragon could be a real bastard, but he had cared for Gajeel in his own cold hard way. He remembered that look of defeat on the boy's face when he told him that he would just get in the way and it suddenly made him want to take the brat under his wing and teach him a thing or two. Maybe when this was all over and everyone was safe back home.

Would he want to be _that_ close to Levy though? Wait, isn't that what he wanted, to be closer to her? The thought suddenly terrified him as he realized how tangible it was. He certainly wanted to start getting over the past with her and build a friendship with her, but then what? Anything past a friendship with her was out of reach for him, not that he wanted it to go any further than that anyway he told himself. He hardly knew the girl. What he did know he liked though. She was intelligent, caring, cheerful, friendly, forgiving, maybe even loving; everything that he was not. What did he have to offer her? Friendship. Yes, he'd start with friendship. Honestly, he thought to himself, that was more than enough for him, more than what he deserved.

It was hours later in the early afternoon by the time Gajeel stepped off of the train in Hargeon station. Immediately he set to work, turning every direction slowly as he inhaled the air, picking up the faintest hint of Levy's scent. It was the strongest from the north east, so he started in that direction. Moving down a main street, her scent lingered near a book shop and he snorted with a smirk. Figures. Continuing on for what felt like forever, he found himself standing at the front gates of a sprawling estate. No doubt the collector who had hired them lived here. But, there was also a scent that was oddly familiar. Distant, but definitely someone he had been around before. That gave him pause, considering everything before Fairy Tail in his past was a dark history filled with dark characters. He began thinking of Phantom Lord then. The scent must be someone from the disbanded guild. The thief perhaps? Gajeel grunted to himself as he tried to connect the dots in his head.

He started stalking the perimeter of the estate, finally making it around to where the gardens were. With a powerful fluidity that would make a big cat jealous, Gajeel pulled himself up and over the brick wall, landing with barely a sound on the other side. Stalking between the shrubs and hedgings within the gardens he came upon a scent trail that may as well have been a neon arrow pointing away towards a forest that jutted up against the far north east side. _Well, well_ he thought to himself as he quickly walked towards the forest. He continued to mull over the scent as he bee lined it towards the trees. It was on the tip of his tongue. Definitely someone from Phantom Lord. As he neared the forest he also caught Levy's and her team mates scents as well. They were all somewhere in this forest and his nerves tingled all over his body at the thought that soon, very soon, he would know just what happened and who this mysterious person from his past guild could be.


	11. Chapter 11

**Abyss: Chapter 11**

Levy knew she was bound. She'd been drifting in and out of consciousness for what felt like an eternity. Sharp pain filled her body, aching from being in one position for far too long. She smelled blood too. She hoped it was just hers and not those of her two team mates. She didn't want them to hurt like she did. She tried to open her eyes, only succeeding in getting the right one open. Her left one, she guessed, was too swollen to open fully, as a result of being kicked. Wherever she was, the place was scantily lit. She just barely made out the shapes of a single wooden chair and a bucket. The walls weren't smooth, but jutted and concave like made of stone. She realized she lay on a cold damp surface. She was in a cave. She tried to lift her head then but a wave of nausea swept over her and she lowered her head once more, sucking in a breath between her teeth.

"Awake, are we?" A voice resonated from the shadows. Levy froze, her breath caught in her throat. Audrick chuckled deep somewhere behind her.

"I know who you are now, Script Mage. How fortunate that you were the one to come looking for the artifact. Now I may be able to get some revenge before I cash in and oh how sweet it will be."

"Where are my friends?" she asked, ignoring his monologuing.

"Dead." He answered casually, his clothes shifting in what sounded like a shrug.

"Then why keep me alive?" She questioned, her tongue running over her swollen bottom lip, tasting dried blood.

"Because I know who is coming after you. And if my suspicions are correct, it will be a very sweet retribution for me to kill you before his eyes."

Levy wasn't sure who he was referencing, but regardless, someone from Fairy Tail would surely come after her and her team and beat this whelp to a pulp. They had been gone a suspiciously long amount of time, even for her, and no one from the guild was dense enough to ignore their absence.

"Because of _him_ , Phantom Lord crumbled." Audricks voice echoed loudly off of the walls of the cave, causing Levy to wince.

"Because he poked a sleeping bear by attacking _you!_ The guild would still be going strong if he hadn't pissed off Fairy Tail."

Realization slammed Levy like a ton of bricks, her sudden hammering heart bringing searing pressure and pain to her wounds. Gajeel wouldn't come after her, would he? He barely acknowledged her as it was, so why would he take notice of her being gone for a week. Besides, he was on a mission himself when she had left. He may not have even returned to the guild yet. The more she thought about it, the less sense it made for him to be the one coming after her. Why was this man so sure then?

"You're dumb." Levy spat, trying to move to sit up on her knees. Her hands were bound behind her back so it was a struggle to get her legs under her.

"We'll see who's dumb," Audrick stated, placing the heel of his boot to her back and shoved her back to the cold damp cave floor.

"Once he sees me like _this_ ," he stated as he moved out from behind her, his voice shifting to mimic her own. Levy glanced up in the faint light with her one good eye to see a silhouette of herself standing over her. "I'll be able to get close enough to work my magic," he said in her voice as a neon green light flowed down his arms through his veins, seeming to drip out from his fingertips. "Then I'll bring you out and dispatch you in front of him while he's paralyzed and helpless. Then, I will kill him too."

Before Levy could say anything he was gone, the sound of heels clacking against the stone floor of the cave. She tried not to panic. She had to find Droy and Jet and make sure they were okay. Whoever _was_ coming after her she had full confidence that they could hold their own against Audrick. He used alchemy magic, which shouldn't be surprising seeing as the collector had been slipped a sleeping drought. She just hadn't thought of it until now. She had to get up and go after him. No one else needed to get hurt because she was too weak to defend herself. Her body ached and she pursed her lips to keep from crying out as she rose. Finally making it to her feet, she leaned against the cool cave wall and followed its contours in the direction that Audrick had gone.

Gajeel had stumbled across Jet first. He was leaning against a tree just barely inside the forest. He was weak, but breathing. The Iron Dragon took slight pleasure when he slapped the younger man's face, none to gently, in an attempt to bring him to.

"Oy!" Gajeel growled. Jet did not respond. He had a green tinge to his flesh and he smelled like…death. Even though Gajeel didn't necessarily like the mage sitting in front of him, he didn't want him to die. He wasn't sure what to do though, or what was ailing him. His instincts told him a poison of some sort. His eyes widened then as a face flashed in his mind's eye. His lips curled down in a sneer then as he recognized the scent and the type of magic being used.

"That fucking bastard," he growled as he stood and continued to follow the trail. He came across Droy next to a clearing where it appeared a small fight had broken out. He looked up to see a tent dangling from the tree limbs above. The remnants of the camp were strewn askew, like a strong wind had blown it away. The Plant magic mage was lying across the ground, a large welt on his right cheekbone. The veins of his exposed skin had a green color to them as well. He was still breathing as well and Gajeel knelt close to him, reaching out to shake his shoulder.

"Oy! Get up!" He practically roared. Where was Levy, he didn't see her nearby anywhere. Droy's lips moved ever so slightly and Gajeel leaned closer, using his heightened hearing to pick up what the poisoned man was trying to relay.

"Le..vy…..hurt. T…taken."

Gajeel heard him and his crimson eyes rose in the direction that Droy's arm was stretched out to, no doubt in a last attempt to either hold on to Levy, or hold on to her attacker so she had a chance to get away. Besides that clue, her scent also moved in this direction. Gajeel rose quickly and stomped through the underbrush. After a few dozen paces he picked up the scent of blood and knelt down to see a few dry spatters against the dirt and dead leaves. Levy's blood. Something akin to fury rose its ugly head within him and he practically leapt to his feet, sprinting through the trees as he followed the two scents. He hadn't felt like this in a long time. He wanted to break, he wanted to maim, he wanted to kill. As he came upon the cave before him he spied her walking out from the shadows. Immediately he sensed something was amiss. She looked unscathed. She walked funny. Her smile wasn't right. But most of all, she didn't smell like Levy.

 _Audrick_ , he growled in his mind and he fought every fiber of his being to keep from leaping forward and tearing him apart. Instead, he played along. Panting, he walked up to her, pretending to look around for a foe.

"Are you alright?" He managed, trying to sound concerned. He watched as the fake Levy nodded, moving towards him with her hands moving up to her mouth, her eyes clouding over with feigned tears. Gajeel swallowed at the sight. He had to remind himself that this was not Levy.

"Oh, Gajeel!" she finally managed and started to throw herself at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. His breath caught in his chest. Please, he pleaded with himself, don't be wrong.

Gajeel moved like he was ready to embrace her, then abruptly moved an arm back and slammed his fist forward into her face, sending her careening back onto the rocky ground. Almost immediately Audrick lost the transformation as he sat up, rubbing his jaw while glaring at Gajeel with shock and seething anger.

Relief washed over Gajeel, but it was short lived as he moved to stand over Audrick, not hesitating as he reached down and grabbed fists full of the front of his shirt and lifted him off of the ground. Audrick writhed for a moment, then yelled out as his eyes flashed green. He moved to dig his fingertips into the flesh of Gajeel's arms, but just before they contacted, the Dragon Slayer turned his flesh to iron, causing the poison to drip off to the ground harmlessly.

"I should fucking kill you right here in these woods," Gajeel seethed through clenched teeth, his fangs gleaming in the fading light. He raised the alchemy mage higher then slammed him down to the earth, Iron magic swirling around his fist as he prepared to pummel him with another punch. Her scent filled his nostrils, stronger than it had in days. He paused as his fiery crimson hues rose to fix on her form leaning against the cave wall just inside the shadows. He smelled the blood mixing with her scent; saw how she was bent over, places on her visible flesh black and blue. His insides ached at the sight. He had never wanted to see her broken again. Seeing her like this opened the barely healed wounds inside his mind and heart of the night that he had attacked her and her team.

He roared then as he moved to bring his fist down, intending to shatter his skull into a hundred pieces, but her shrill cry broke through his bloodthirsty rage.

"Gajeel, no!"

His body visibly shuddered as he fought against himself, finally lowering his arm slowly. He didn't want her to see him like this. This isn't what he was anymore. Besides, this bastard didn't deserve a quick death. Let him rot in a Magic Council cell. Quickly, before his resolve shattered, Gajeel fixed Audrick with iron shackles to his wrists and ankles and shoved him hard into the ground as he stood, making his way directly to Levy.

"You're no better than I am, Black Steel." Audrick seethed at Gajeel's back as he walked away. Gajeel ignored his words for now, his focus shifting to the small broken Script Mage before him.

She watched him warily as he stalked towards her, assessing the look in his eyes. His skin returned to a normal flesh color and he slowed as he neared her, his gaze looking her up and down. He looked as if he were the one in excruciating pain and she wondered if maybe Audrick had managed to strike a blow with his poison. She watched as he reached a hand out to her then hesitated.

Gajeel swallowed hard, finding it difficult to find the words he wanted to say. She looked like she'd gone through hell and back. Her face was swollen on her left side and held a sickly purple tinge. Cuts and abrasions covered her neck, arms, and legs as well as random large bruises. She was barefoot as well and her dress barely clung to her form in tattered pieces. After his quick assessment his eyes moved back to her face and he was stunned to see her lips curled up in one of her easy smiles. Despite everything, she was still able to smile.

His hand continued its path towards her then, his palm moving to cup her cheek gently as he brushed his thumb feather light across her swollen bottom lip. He felt her lean her head into his palm ever so slightly as a faint blush brushed her cheeks. He was spellbound. She was amazing and much more stronger than he had ever hoped to be.

He withdrew his hand and moved behind her to gently cut through the bonds around her wrists. He stood over her then, removing his coat and threw it around her shoulders before scooping her up gingerly. To his surprise, Levy began to protest.

"Gajeel! Put me down, I can walk on my own!" But after her attempts to thrash out of his embrace, pain shocked through her and she whimpered in defeat, her cheeks puffing out ever so slightly as the faint blush returned.

"Are you finished?" Gajeel growled down at her, receiving a weak nod from the girl in his arms before he continued.

The sky was darkening around them as Gajeel carried her through the trees. She was exhausted and her body felt like she'd been run over by a train. After the initial embarrassment passed of needing to be carried away from the cave, Levy found herself relaxing in Gajeel's arms. She stifled a yawn and found herself nestling against the warmth of his chest, nuzzling gently into the crook of his arms. He had come for her after all. The notion spread a pleasant heat through her belly and she sighed gently against him before she lost consciousness once more.


	12. Chapter 12

**Abyss: Chapter 12**

Gajeel had carried her into town, demanding entry to the large estate that housed the man who had placed the job team Shadow Gear took. He was shown to a guest room almost immediately upon seeing the battered Levy in his arms, though the collector had given him a suspicious glare and a sniff. Gajeel had glared right back at him. To hell with people and their assumptions of his character based on his looks. Knowing time was of the essence to get back to Jet and Droy, Gajeel placed Levy onto the sprawling bed in the bedroom. She awoke as soon as she left his arms.

Levy panicked as she was placed on the bed and opened her eyes to see Gajeel leaving the room quickly. Before she could say anything he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him. She huffed a sigh, then relaxed, trusting that he was probably leaving to find her comrades. Before long, the soft comforter and mattress of the bed lulled her back into a peaceful sleep, sucking her down into its white and fluffy depths.

It didn't take long for Gajeel to convince some workers at the estate to help him tie up loose ends. Then men were probably too afraid to reject, assuming he'd pummel them if they did. Jet and Droy were taken to the hospital in Hargeon to receive treatment for their poisoning and Audrick was handed over to the Magic Council.

Gajeel returned to the estate the next morning with the artifact in tow. He had found it tucked away in the cave Levy had been held in. While he was snooping around he had found traces of Levy's blood all over the cave floor. It rekindled the anger in him towards the ex-Phantom Lord member. It seemed he had tried to use Levy to get back at Gajeel for being the catalyst in breaking apart Phantom Lord. As he walked out of the cave he thought on that. Being closer to her meant that she would be at more risk of things like this happening; Gajeel's past coming to bite him in the ass and she would continue to be at risk of being used against him. Was it worth the risk? Was he willing to jeopardize her safety so he could be friends with her? He knew that once she let him in, he wouldn't be able to let her out of his sight and he was more than capable of protecting her. _You're no better than I am._ Audricks words echoed in his mind. Sure, the him of the past wasn't any better. But he was different now. He wanted to be different. And he would be there to protect Levy from this moment on. Instead of using his power to hurt people, he'd use it to protect her and all of Fairy Tail. It was the least he could do; it's what he wanted to do.

He'd handed the artifact back to the collector, although the man refused to pay him the reward. He'd simply shrugged and walked away towards the room where he had left Levy the night before. He opened the door quietly and was shocked to see her still lying where he'd left her and even more surprised that she was still tattered and torn up. Had no one come to check on her? He scowled darkly and stalked from the room. After a heated discussion he shortly returned to the room thereafter with a bowl of warm water and bandages.

Levy woke slowly when she heard shuffling in the room. Her left eye opened more readily now and her hazel hues rested upon Gajeel sitting on the edge of the bed by her head.

"Oy," he grinned down at her and she couldn't help the smile that crept across her lips.

She moved to sit up then and Gajeel shifted to give her some space, his arms suddenly crossing his chest as his expression changed to a scowl. Levy gulped.

"Why'd you turn away the nurse, pipsqueak?" He growled low.

Ignoring the not so endearing nickname she crossed her own arms and lifted her chin in defiance.

"Because I do not want anyone else fussing over me. I will shower and clean up myself when I am good and ready." She huffed, and just to prove her point she moved to slip off of the bed, but her legs betrayed her and she began to fall forward. Gajeel reached out and caught her arm easily, gently pulling her back up. He didn't let his hold go until Levy looked to meet his gaze. He looked nervous and slightly amused at her display. He stood then and lifted her up under her arms like a child and placed her back down on the bed. Levy huffed indignantly and her cheeks blushed with what he assumed was embarrassment. She was so stubborn.

He stood over her then, finally letting go of her. "Let me fuss over you."

Levy's breath caught in her chest and she couldn't help but lift her eyes to meet his gaze. He smiled easily, the sight of it sending shivers through her body. She felt a hot blush staining her cheeks.

"That's what… _friends_ do for each other, right?" The Dragon Slayer asked. Levy was too awestruck to respond with words. Instead she nodded faintly and watched as he stepped closer to her, leaning so close she could feel his breath against her cheek. She felt like she was about to faint. Then she felt his fingers brush the skin of her shoulders as he grabbed the jacket he had loaned her last night and gave it a few gentle tugs to pull it down off of her arms, revealing the cuts and abrasions.

After the initial butterflies of being so close to him and once her skin stopped tingling every time his fingers brushed against her, Levy began to relax and managed to restrain from giggling as she watched his facial expression. He was concentrating hard, his brows furrowed and his lips pulled down in a scowl as he worked on gingerly cleaning her wounds and dressing them with bandages. It was endearing and she felt more of that warmth growing for him as it had the day she had watched him with Kosuke.

Suddenly thinking of her little brother she groaned softly, causing Gajeel to pause in his ministrations and look at her. His gaze was suddenly intense. Worrying that he had misinterpreted the noise as pain he may have caused her, she quickly explained herself.

"Kosuke is probably worried sick about me." The intensity of his gaze didn't relax though, and she watched as he leaned back away from her, clearing his throat quietly.

Gajeel had been walking a fine line inside himself. He was not prepared for the feelings in his body that came alive once he started cleaning and bandaging Levy. He struggled to reason with himself as he worked slowly. He'd touched her before, but not like this. The times his fingers brushed her flesh had sent sudden jolts of heat through him and he tried his best to ignore it as it built up in his belly. He'd never felt these sensations before and it scared him; he was scared of what it meant. He wasn't so dense as to not feel the friction in the air between them initially, though Levy's seemed to subside. At one point he fought the sudden urge to kiss her; the urge to brand her with his lips. He had swallowed hard, pausing for a split second to recompose himself. _What the hell_? He growled in his thoughts. Kissing was certainly _not_ something friends did. Then she had groaned, the noise almost pushing him over the edge. He had to move away from her before he did something that they both would regret.

"He's home and doing just fine." He finally managed, his voice sounding a little strained. "Him and I had some discussions and decided it was not like you to take _this_ long on a mission, so I promised him that I would come to check on you."

Levy smiled brightly then, dazzling Gajeel. He'd made her smile more than once now and it made him feel good. He'd never imagine in a million years that he'd be making her smile like that so soon. But then, Levy was just that kind of person.

"Besides," he continued a little more easily with his thoughts distracted away from his previous desire, "Kosuke and I both had little faith in your two _team_ mates to help you get the job done."

Levy gasped then, guilt and worry washing over her face as she suddenly tried to bolt towards the door. How could she forget about them so easily? Gajeel caught her shoulders and shoved her back down, keeping his hands there until her eyes met his.

"They're fine. I took them to the hospital. They're being treated for poisoning and will be recovered in no time." Levy relaxed slightly, but the guilt was still there.

"We'll go visit them later, alright? Just let me finish taking care of you first."

Gajeel continued with his task, having had the chance to rid himself of his devilish thoughts. He'd have to be a little more careful about getting too close to her physically in the future.

"Thank you," Levy's quiet voice broke his thoughts. She was smiling faintly and looking down, suddenly embarrassed to meet his gaze.

"Any time, shrimp." He grinned. Again with the not so flattering nick names. _Ohwell_ , Levy thought. It was cute in Gajeel's own way.


	13. Chapter 13

**Abyss: Chapter 13**

Later on that evening after having visited Jet and Droy, Gajeel and Levy made their way to the train station.

"I feel bad leaving them here," Levy pouted to herself. Gajeel snorted beside her. "It's their own fault for being so weak." He mused, then suddenly sucked his lips in, regretting saying that out loud. Levy had paused in her gait next to him. She stood there quietly, her eyes down cast and her fists balled beside her thighs.

"Not everyone is as strong as you, idiot!" She seethed, her anger at his insult boiling over. She took his meaning as an attack against herself too. She was weak, just like they were. She couldn't protect them or herself and had to rely on someone else to save them and finish the mission.

"Tch," Gajeel muttered. "Get stronger then." He shrugged casually and continued sauntering towards the train station. After a moment he felt her fall in step beside him once more.

He annoyed her with his "easier-said-than-done" attitude, but essentially he was right and she knew it. She couldn't stay mad at him. If anything it gave her fuel to work hard on getting stronger.

They sat across from each other on the train ride back to Magnolia. A silence had fallen between the two of them, but it wasn't awkward, much to Levy's surprise. She silently wished that she had a book to read as she sighed and leaned her head back against the bench.

Then, as if the Iron Dragon Slayer could read her thoughts, he reached into a pocket inside his jacket and pulled out an old looking leather bound book.

"Here," he grunted and offered the book to her.

Levy's eyes sparkled appreciatively as she took it from him, her fingers tracing over the title as she breathed it out loud as she read, "Alchemy Magic."

"Just in case you find yourself pitted against another Alchemy Mage," Gajeel said as he watched her. "You'll be better prepared next time."

"Thank you, Gajeel," Levy squealed and suddenly he found himself in her embrace. He blushed ever so slightly and patted her gently on the back before she sat back on the bench and refocused on the book. Then, something shiny caught her eye. It was placed just behind the cover and Levy opened it to see a thin iron book mark. A dragon was etched on its surface and a smaller intricate sculpted dragon dangled from the piece of leather at the top of the marker.

There was that dazzling smile again and Gajeel basked in its glory from the seat across from her.

"You made this, for me?" Levy fingered it softly, knowing instantly that she will treasure it always.

"It's no big deal," Gajeel spoke from the corner of his lips as he turned his head to the side, slightly embarrassed at the praise in her eyes and voice.

"It's lovely, Gajeel. Thank you." Levy said softly as she held it in her fingers. He watched her out of the corner of his eyes as she tenderly brushed her fingers over it, a faint blush staining her cheeks. She held it close to her heart then as she leaned back against the bench and opened the book, her face taking on that serious look she always had when she delved into the literary world.

Gajeel smiled to himself then, closing his eyes as he settled back against the bench as well. The exhaustion of the last few days caught up to him as he drifted off to sleep, comfortable enough to finally let his guard down.

Hours into the book, Levy finally lifted her eyes away from the text, yawning softly as she gaged it was somewhere around midnight. They'd be pulling into Magnolia station soon. Her gaze landed on the Iron Dragon Slayer across from her and she smiled softly, her eyes running over him as he slept. He must have been exhausted, she surmised, as he had drifted down the bench to be half leaning, half lying on the seat, his jaw slack as he snored softly. His crossed arms had drifted apart and one dangled lazily off of the side. She'd never seen him this relaxed and serene and she couldn't help her eyes from looking over every inch of him. He was powerful, both magically and physically. She was appreciating the physical aspect now. She had felt those strong muscles against her body when he had carried her, though she was too tired to admire them then. She did so silently now, her gaze looking over the muscles of his chest and abs rippling beneath his jacket, the zipper down the center parted further than normal, giving her a good look at his bare chest beneath.

She felt heat flooding her cheeks, telling herself that she really shouldn't be essentially checking him out while he slept. Besides, they had just begun working towards a friendship and the feelings she felt as she looked at him extended far beyond the boundaries of friendship. She was startled from her thoughts then as the conductor suddenly announced over the loud speaker that they were nearing Magnolia station and for passengers to prepare to disembark the train. To her surprise, the announcement didn't stir Gajeel from his dreams and Levy was loath to have to wake him herself.

Minutes later he still had not stirred and the train was slowing to a stop. Levy swallowed as she placed her beautiful book mark and closed the book, standing with a sigh. She leaned over him and dared to poke him gently with a finger.

"Gajeel," Levy spoke his name softly.

Without warning his arm lashed out at her, his massive hand closed around her upper arm as he rolled completely onto his back, pulling Levy down on top of him as his other arm closed around her, his hand cupping her rear end.

Levy squeaked and balled her fists against his chest, pushing herself up against him and away, but his arms tightened around her, pulling her back; overpowering her.

"Gajeel, please," she pleaded, her voice quivering.

The train jolted to a hard stop on the tracks then, the harsh motion waking Gajeel with a start, his eyes snapping open and meeting those hazel ones of the girl he held entrapped to his chest. It took him a few seconds to realize what exactly was happening, then his eyes opened wider, moving to sit up suddenly while releasing Levy to leap off of him. Her face was beat red as she stood straight and ran her hands over her new dress, smoothing it over.

"Sorry," Gajeel offered, feeling his face was just as red as hers as he stood and straightened his own coat. His apology held the under tone request of _let's just forget that ever happened._

Levy was eager to forget about it as well as she turned without a word and led the way off of the train. Gajeel absently scratched at the back of his head as he sauntered behind her.

Before long, Gajeel realized that Levy was headed towards her apartment and he slowed behind her, adding some distance. She looked back over her shoulder a time or two, noticing that the distance between them was increasing. Finally, she looked back over her shoulder as she reached her apartment door and he was gone, having disappeared into the night. She smiled to herself as she looked back to her hand as she unlocked the door and pushed it open, feeling as if he were still out there, watching over her. She disappeared inside and enjoyed a few moments of silence before Kosuke realized that she was home and tackled her with a hug.

Gajeel listened from the shadows outside as Levy started regaling her misadventure to her happy and eager younger brother. He didn't stick around to hear the details, having lived through it with her. He basked in the moonlight as he made his way towards his cabin, grinning devilishly to himself as he remembered the feel of her bottom cupped in his hand. Best to cherish it now, he thought to himself, because he knew the chances of it ever happening again were slim to none.

The following day Gajeel had planted himself in his usual seat at the bar in the guild hall, ignoring the questioning glances he was receiving from his guild mates. If they wanted details, then they could come and talk to him directly. Instead, he sat there and listened to them whisper behind his back as he nursed a beer. They weren't necessarily saying bad things, which made him feel good. More or less people were wondering if he had gone to help Levy with her latest mission. Not team Shadow Gear, but Levy. Before long, the lady in question came walking in herself.

Levy initially ignored everyone who seemed to want to jump her for details as her eyes swept the guild hall looking for the Iron Mage, her fiery hazel hues pinning Gajeel in his dark corner before she started stalking towards him.

He had smelled her as soon as she had entered and if that wasn't enough, the sudden gasps and crescendo in voices was a dead giveaway as their guild mates began prying her for details as they saw her bandaged and bruised. Her steps came right up to him and he turned towards her only to be greeted by her open hand slapping him smartly.

The guild hall descended into dead silence.

His eyes narrowed at her dangerously, but she stood firm, glaring at him.

"I'm not sure whether I deserved that or not…" Gajeel muttered, his thoughts flashing back to the night before and his hand on her plump rear when he had awoken on the train.

"You didn't tell me Kosuke was nearly _killed_ ," she seethed, her breath ragged as she fought with her emotions.

Before Gajeel could defend himself he was floored as she leapt towards him and buried herself against his chest, her small arms wrapping around him.

"You saved him," she cried against him.

While he didn't appreciate being yanked around emotionally, he understood her frustration at him.

"I didn't want to worry you," he murmured against her hair.

Feeling the eyes boring into her back, Levy whispered against him, "I know", before she slid away from him, walking away and right back out of the guild hall. The eyes that were watching her then moved to look at Gajeel.

"Tch," he said to himself, downing the rest of his beer before he stood and walked out of the guild hall too. Instead of following her, he headed back to his cabin.


	14. Chapter 14

**Epilogue**

In the weeks that followed, Gajeel remained distanced from Levy. He wasn't sure about the feelings and the tension that had grown between the two of them in the short amount of time that they had spent together. It gave him hope that their friendship would grow naturally and easy, when given the chance, but on the same token he finally pegged the emotion that he had felt growing on the back of their budding relationship; desire. He definitely was not ready for that emotion when it came to Levy. She wasn't someone he could just tumble with and forget like he had a few times in the past with other women. She was different to him and she deserved more. So in lieu of these realizations he had distanced himself from her superficially, while still keeping a protective eye on her when she wasn't looking. On the side though, he met with Kosuke every couple of days to start training him in magic, finding that the boy had a natural talent with music, much to Gajeel's excitement. They had spent long afternoons rocking out guitars in his cabin.

Levy was initially depressed that Gajeel was suddenly missing from her life after having spent a few days with her. She _missed_ him, but she figured he had his reasons. She would still smile to herself when she was alone walking the city or sitting at home; the feeling that he was watching over her was omnipresent and it gave her comfort nonetheless. She knew that he would come back around when he was ready.

Jet and Droy had returned and begrudgingly thanked Gajeel for saving their lives and Levy's. Team Shadow Gear was officially back together and Levy never thought she'd hear the end of their apologies for what had happened in Hargeon. She'd sat there at their table with her eyes fixed on Gajeel's back as he sat in his darkened corner while her two childhood friends listed off the ways that they'd make it up to her. All she could think about was how _not_ sorry she was about what happened in Hargeon. Her fingers danced across her iron bookmark between the pages of the book before her and she just smiled.

 ***Thank you for the reviews and the likes and follows! I've enjoyed writing this and I plan on either adding a bonus chapter to this story, or making it a fresh GaLe one shot. (I apologize for those who feel that the ending was anticlimactic. I was trying to make this story squeeze in the established story line after Gajeel joins Fairy Tail and shortly before the Fantasia arc. Trust me, I would have loved to have made things more fluffy, but it would not have worked for trying to streamline it with what Mr. Mashima has set in place). Stay tuned and thanks again for the views! I hope you enjoyed***


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